Day #2611

February 23, 2021

Tuesday’s Thoughts on Scripture comes from Mark 8:31: [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. (NRSV)

Each time I read this passage, I put myself into the disciples’ shoes (sandals). I cannot imagine how upset they were when they heard this from Jesus. Great suffering, rejection, death - no wonder they missed the last part he said about rising again. That would be easy to miss with my mind trying to grasp the rest. 

As Mark 8 continues, Peter reacts. He takes Jesus aside and rebukes him. Don’t say this, Jesus! It can’t be true! And I can put myself right there with Peter. We NEED you, Jesus. We can’t do this thing called life without you. You have to be here with us. We’ll be lost. We have come to depend so much on you. Little Miss Fix-it that I can be would want to try and figure out something else, some other way. 

Little did the disciples understand that what would happen would be so much better than they could imagine. And that it would be the salvation of millions. It’s no wonder Jesus tells Peter he is focusing on the humanness of things. But, can you blame him?!?! Peter doesn’t know the rest of the story, like we do. 

Yet, don’t we also try to put Jesus in our box? We NEED you, Jesus. We can’t do this thing called life without you. You have to be here with us. We’ll be lost. We have come to depend so much on you. Fix it, Jesus. Sound familiar? It does to me. 

Lord, have mercy, and teach me to wait on your way! Amen.

Blessings. And prayers.